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In business transportation low use predicted for proposed toll road in boulder city By Richard N. Velotta senior staff writer Transportation experts say a 15-mile toll road around Boulder City would be used by only about 44 percent of motorists, according to a recent study. Representatives of the Nevada Department of Transportation and the Clark County Regional Transportation Commission tried to reassure a skeptical crowd of about 50 people at a public hearing that a four-lane freeway bypassing Boulder City would still reduce traffic on the city's streets. Transportation officials took testimony and answered questions during a three-hour open house and public meeting at Boulder City High School. The 44 percent usage estimate was based on studies by the Louis Berger Group, of Las Vegas, which analyzed prospective toll structures to determine what price point would guarantee maximum revenue. The estimate was based on a toll of $2.25 per passenger vehicle. Large trucks and commercial vehicles would likely pay more. The study was one component of an analysis to determine whether the bypass route would become Nevada's first toll road. The Nevada Legislature still would have to approve it. The 15-mile route has been proposed in two phases and would dip to the south of Boulder City near the Railroad Pass casino. The route would continue east in flat desert terrain, then veer north through the Eldorado Mountains, rejoining what is now U.S. 93 near the Hacienda casino. Engineers envision two open-road tolling express lanes in each direction for electronic toll collections and three cash and credit lanes per direction for machine payment at toll-booth plazas south of the city. Many motorists aren't expected to use the toll road because they'd have the option of using the existing U.S. 93 route through Boulder City that would remain free. NDOT officials said the proposed $2.25 toll could be used the first year of operation, then modified up or down, depending on need. Phase 1 of the project would be a short highway from Railroad Pass to a new intersection at U.S. 95. It would cost between $20 million and $30 million for right-of-way acquisitions and $90 million to $110 million for construction. Some of that land, in the Jericho Heights area, is the subject of contentious condemnation proceedings. The longer Phase 2 portion, where the tolling would occur, would cost about | 4 FEBRUARY 2013 20130204_VI07_F.indd 7 | $330 million to complete. It is planned for public land and wouldn't require right-of-way acquisitions. One of the benefits of allowing tolling is that the bypass would be completed faster. Officials estimate that if tolling were allowed, the project could be completed by 2018 or 2019. If tolling isn't al- lowed, the project would go on a list of future projects with an uncertain completion timetable. Some Boulder City residents who attended the meeting still question whether the bypass is necessary. They fear a drop in business in town, reduced access to desert lands by horsemen and outdoor recreation enthusiasts, and a detrimental impact on desert wildlife, including desert tortoise and bighorn sheep. An environmental impact study has been completed on the route, and engineers would be required to mitigate impacts to the area. Your business is our business. We're not just in the business of fast Internet and advanced phone service—we're in the cupcake business, the architecture business and your business. Switch to Cox Business and see how easy it is to do business with a local support team in Las Vegas available 24/7. Call today and treat your customers to the best. 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